How to increase your spiritual growth and become closer to God:
Point 5 – Love God with all your heart, body, soul, and mind – You express your love of God by keeping his commandments. 1 John.5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Once you reach a level where keeping the commandments of God is no longer challenging for you, then you can be assured that you are already growing closer to God and becoming more like Him. God expressed his love by sacrificing his one and only son to die for our sins. As the bible says, we love because he first loved us. He taught and showed us what love is. All He has asked in return is for us to love Him and follow His instructions. John.14:15 says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Love God genuinely and you will be closer to Him and even begin to become more like Him in words and in action. When you have great affection for someone, it is natural to want to be closer to them.
In conclusion, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity are a gradual process as noted in part 1. The purpose of growing maturely is to become who God has created us to be in Him and be more like Him. Let us continue to strive for maturity both physically and spiritually. Let us follow the instructions laid out in the bible and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will help us all in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Application:
5 steps have been suggested in this series on how to grow maturely. Which of these steps are you ready to take today? As you read through the 5 points listed in this series (and below), did you find any that would be challenging for you to do? If so, please pray and ask God for his grace and strength. Make a deliberate effort today to do what is needed for your spiritual growth and maturity. If you don’t have the drive to be matured in spirit, it is the same as physically growing old but not matured.
- Change what drives you
- Improve your relationship with other Believers of Christ:
- Improve your relationship with God
- Engage yourself in biblical discussions with non-believers
- Love God with all your heart, body, soul, and mind
Prayer: Lord I thank you for helping me understand what I need to do to grow in spirit. If there is anything I need to do but seems challenging for me, I ask for your help, strength and grace. As I physically grow and physically mature, help me to grow in spirit and be matured in spirit. I want to graduate from drinking spiritual milk. Help me Father to become whom you’ve created me to be and help me to be more like you, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Spiritual Maturity Part 1
Spiritual Maturity Part 2
Spiritual Maturity Part 3